Centrifuge Modeling of the Seismic Behavior of Soft Clay Slopes
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 11
Abstract
This paper presents the experimental results and analysis from two centrifuge experiments that simulated the seismic response of a gentle slope in soft clay. The two models consisted of a three-degree and a six-degree slope in soft clay, respectively, which are representative of typical slopes found on marine seabeds on the continental margins. The models were built in a laminar container in order to reproduce infinite slope boundary conditions. In-flight characterization investigations consisting of T-bar tests and air hammer tests were performed to obtain undrained shear strength profiles and shear wave velocities at various depths, respectively. A suite of earthquakes was applied, including sinusoidal waves and scaled real motions, in order to observe the response of the models in terms of the propagation of shear waves and the generation of lateral displacements at various depths in the slopes. The results showed that the model preparation approach ensures the repeatability of the experiments, enabling the evaluation of the impact of the slope angle on the seismic response of the gentle slopes studied. On average, the permanent displacements measured at the surface of the six-degree slope were three times greater than those measured at the top of the three-degree slope. In these slopes, nonlinear effects were observed in terms of the peak ground acceleration (PGA) that depended both on the slope angle and the intensity of shaking.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge support from PETROBRAS for the project “Seismic Centrifuge Modeling of Gentle Slopes” (Contractual Instrument 2017/00259-5). Acknowledgment is also due to the Rio de Janeiro State Research Foundation (FAPERJ) and the National Institute of Science and Technology CNPq-REAGEO for financial support for the project. The authors are grateful to the staff of at the Schofield Centre for assistance in the development of the centrifuge experiments. Finally, the authors are thankful for the administrative support of Ricardo Garske Borges, D.Sc.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 148 • Issue 11 • November 2022
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 30, 2021
Accepted: May 24, 2022
Published online: Aug 30, 2022
Published in print: Nov 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Jan 30, 2023
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